A variety of different products are shipped in cargo containers. Products are packed into a container by a shipper, after which the container doors are closed and then secured with some type of lock or seal. The container is then transported to a destination, where a recipient removes the lock and unloads the container.
The shipper often finds it advantageous to have some form of monitoring while the container is being transported. For example, the cargo within the container may include relatively valuable products such as computers or other electronic devices, and thieves may attempt to break into the container and steal these products if the container is left unattended during transport. It is not cost-feasible to have a person watch a container at all times in order to provide security and/or monitoring. Accordingly, electronic systems have previously been developed to provide a degree of automated security and/or monitoring. Although these pre-existing systems have been generally adequate for their intended purposes, they have not been satisfactory in all respects.
As one example, mechanical door sensors have previously been used to monitor a door of a shipping container, in order to verify that the door remains closed during transport. Mechanical door sensors typically have at least one part (such as a shaft or plunger) that moves when a container door is opened or closed. In some applications, the moving part has to be hermetically sealed before it enters an enclosure containing sensing electronics. Vandals or terrorists may attempt to defeat a mechanical sensor by locking the moving part in place, for example with an epoxy adhesive, or a drill bit. If the movable part is no longer able to move, it cannot detect a situation where the door is opened.